


The Curious Case of That Look

by jacobby



Series: Visits from the Other Side of the Door [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Motherhood, chatfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 18:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15491973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacobby/pseuds/jacobby
Summary: Uzumaki Kushina was a force to be reckoned with, and the universe will let her get away with anything.AKANeither Sasuke nor Naruto really got to ask each other out on a date. But everything falls into place anyway.





	The Curious Case of That Look

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this in one sitting so there might be some mistakes i might have overlooked. feel free to point them out to me so i can correct them. this is a little different compared to the previous fic, but i hope you enjoy anyway! :) <3
> 
> edit1: ((fuck i keep editing things after posting them)) i was walking around the mall earlier when i realized i really do need to add a small (but big??) detail to the story so that it makes a loooot more sense now (i think???).

> ** Messenger **
> 
> **the color or the fruit (Online)**
> 
> Fri, 04/14/2017
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:16PM_ ]  
>  mom and i are coming over!  
>  were bringing homemade sushi
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:17PM_ ]  
>  Uh.  
>  Doesn’t sound like a good idea right now.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:17PM_ ]  
>  what do u mean?
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:18PM_ ]  
>  Nothing.  
>  No ramen this time?  
>  Weird.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:22PM_ ]  
>  no  
>  she said im starting to stink like ramen
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:22PM_ ]  
>  You stink either way.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:23PM_ ]  
>  oh fuck youuu
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:24PM_ ]  
>  Ino and Sakura are here by the way.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:25PM_ ]  
>  really??  
>  oh  
>  mom said not to worry were bringing enough food
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:28PM_ ]  
>  Never mind.  
>  They’re leaving.
> 
>   
>  **the color or the fruit** [ _5:30PM_ ]  
>  aaaw i wanted to see them both :((
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:31PM_ ]  
>  They said it’s time for them to makeout in a dirty alleyway.
> 
>    
>  **the color or the fruit** [ _5:32PM_ ]  
>  okay gross
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:32PM_ ]  
>  Do you have my favorite?  
>  You’re not allowed to enter my house if you didn’t make me my favorite.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:33PM_ ]  
>  yea yeah asshole  
>  i have your fucking tomato maki  
>  and i made them myself
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:35PM_ ]  
>  Huh.  
>  Fine, you’re allowed to enter tonight.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:40PM_ ]  
>  you cant resist me uchiha
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:41PM_ ]  
>  I’m not the one who cried when he thought we were no longer friends.
> 
> **the color or the fruit** [ _5:41PM_ ]  
>  didnt you tho?
> 
> **duck duck goose** [ _5:42PM_ ]  
>  Shut up and get here with my sushi.

 

Uchiha Sasuke never really got to ask Uzumaki Naruto out. At least, not in the way he wanted. Not in the way he, Ino and Sakura painstakingly planned. Not in the way he had ever imagined in his entire life.

Because in said life, Uzumaki Naruto was a constant. He was a looming shadow Sasuke couldn’t get rid of even if he tried. Then again, he never really tried too hard in the first place. But where Naruto was, there came another presence in a beautiful shade of red and a voice loud like drums.

Uzumaki Kushina was a force to be reckoned with.

Sasuke believed that since he had been a child, and Uzumaki Kushina would babysit her with Naruto in tow. He believed that ever since he had fallen off his bike, and Uzumaki Kushina was there to patch up his bleeding knee and arm. He believed that ever since he had gone to the Namikaze household for the first time after his misunderstanding with Naruto, and Uzumaki Kushina had been there to embrace him as if he hadn’t just wronged her son.

He believed that now, chopsticks halfway to his gaped mouth as he realized just how much of a force she actually was. He was convinced she was conspiring with the universe against him. His breathing grew hard, and a wave of anxiety and pressure and plain old _fear_ threatened to make him puke his entire meal on the dining table.

“What the fuck?” Sasuke said, his monotonous voice laced with disgust; although, it was the farthest thing from what he was feeling.

“Sasuke, do not speak to your godmother like that” was his mother’s soft but firm reply.

It only took about seventeen years of Sasuke’s existence—almost seventeen, but three months were practically nothing anyway—to fully comprehend Uzumaki Kushina. He knew from the beginning that she was one of the most important people in his mother’s life. They had always been a pair for as long as Sasuke could remember, and where Mikoto’s elegance stood was Uzumaki Kushina’s driving force beside it.

“Mom, can I speak with you alone for a second?” came Naruto’s voice, surprisingly slow and small.

“No,” Sasuke ordered, “stay.”

“What did I say wrong?” Kushina said, completely oblivious—or just acting oblivious; Sasuke still couldn’t decipher her completely. She put down her own chopsticks. Then everything was suddenly so clear when she gave Mikoto a _look._

 _That_ look. That was the secret. The raised eyebrow, the almost unnoticeable quirk of the lips, the jerk to her head, the glint in her crazy green eyes. Sasuke _knew_ that look. It was a look he had seen throughout childhood. Throughout his entire life. And wherever Uzumaki Kushina was, Naruto wasn’t so far behind. And finally, he understood.

You see, Uzumaki Kushina always had a way to get what she wanted. But somehow, what she wanted always tangled up with Sasuke’s own desires.

“Oh my god,” Sasuke whispered. He put his chopstick down as he heard Ino’s voice in his head, screaming at him to get his shit together. “Oh my fucking god.”

“Sasuke, where are your manners?” Mikoto said. She wasn’t the least bit mad. Hell, it was like she didn’t care at all. Sasuke could have stood up on the table, taken his clothes off and farted on Uzumaki Kushina’s face, and his mother would have only said, ‘get down from the table, son’ while she had continued eating her goddamned sushi.

Her mother was simply letting Uzumaki Kushina take the reins. And she was doing a fine job at it.

Sasuke shifted his gaze to Naruto, who only looked as terrified as Sasuke was in disbelief.

“Well, Sasuke?” Kushina said. “What do you say? I’ve always wanted to see my son walk down the aisle in a tux, but Mikoto had always insisted that Fugaku would want a traditional wedding for you and Naruto.”

“Believe it or not, we have talked about this,” Mikoto replied. “And he would very much like to see at least one of his sons have a traditional wedding.”

“Let’s have two, then,” Kushina exclaimed. “We’ll hit up Naruto’s rich Aunt Tsunade and everything should be settled.”

“I suppose. And we can always employ Ino to drill it into my son’s head that he deserves two weddings.”

“So, what do you say, Sasuke?” Uzumaki Kushina was just _oh so delighted._ “And don’t make me ask again, young man.”

“Mom.” Naruto glanced from Kushina to Sasuke to Mikoto and back again. “Mom,” he repeated with the face of defeat and acceptance rolled into one. “Mom, Sasuke and I aren’t together.”

“What? But, honey, you said—”

“Mom!” Naruto screamed. “I mean—sorry, Mrs. Uchiha.”

“It’s okay, dear—” Mikoto said just as Sasuke had exclaimed “shut up” at him.

“What did Naruto say?”

“Excuse me?” Uzumaki Kushina said with a smile.

“You said he said something. What was it? What did he say?”

“My boy here said that he was going to go on a date with you this Sunday. He even had everything planned out. I’d say he wasn’t being serious, but Sunday is family day. And Naruto doesn’t just give up family day for nothing. So I just thought—ah, I guess that isn't the case. Naruto?”

“Yeah,” Naruto tried weakly. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head. “We're not dating, mom. I haven’t exactly asked him out, like, ever. At all. There’s probably some misunderstanding there, mom. Oops?”

 

“Are you kidding me, Naruto?” Sasuke hissed.

“Uh, oops?”  

“Oops?” Sasuke said. “Oops? Oops—seriously, Naruto? Oops?”

“What else do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, stop our mothers from planning a wedding we didn’t know was happening?”

“I’m as clueless as you are. I don’t even fucking know how we got here.”

“Yeah, you’ve always been so _fucking_ clueless.”

“I’m sorry I like you, you fucking asshat. You don’t have to scream it to my face how fucking disgusted you are!”

“Now, Naruto—” Mikoto tried.

“I never _said_ I was disgusted, you moron. But maybe a heads up would be nice if you’re gonna come barging in here with wedding plans I don’t even know about.”

“Sasuke, please—” Kushina tried.

“Screw the wedding plans. They’re our mothers’ plans. Not mine.”

“But why _is Uzumaki Kushina_ planning our wedding to begin with? You and your fucking assumptions—”

“I _just_ told my mom and dad _yesterday_ that I was gonna ask you out. I don’t have any fucking clue where this wedding shit came from—”  

“I saw Kushina give my mom _that_ look. And I know what that look means now—”

“Will you stop bringing our mothers into this, you dick. We’re not dating, okay? Are you fucking happy now?”

“No, you stupid idiot. If you wanna date me, then date me. Don’t be a fucking coward, Naruto.”

“I—what?”

“Whatever.” Sasuke stood and went to his room, ignoring their stares as he walked away.

 

> ** Messenger **
> 
> **original charlie’s angel (Online)**
> 
> Fri, 04/14/2017
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:06PM_ ]  
>  Ino.  
>  Hey, girl.  
>  Pick up.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _7:06PM_ ]  
>  what   
>  whats up?
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:08PM_ ]  
>  It’s a fucking mess.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _7:10PM_ ]  
>  what?  
>  u okay?  
>  do u want me to come over again?
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:11PM_ ]  
>  No.  
>  I think Naruto is about to ask me out.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _7:12PM_ ]  
>  um excuse me what?  
>  ‘mess’ and ‘naruto asking me out’ dont belong together
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:14PM_ ]  
>  ...
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _7:14PM_ ]  
>  wait u know what
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:14PM_ ]  
>  Yeah.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _7:14PM_ ]  
>  yeeeaah.   
>  ur locked up in ur room arent u
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _7:15PM_ ]  
>  Gotta go.  
>  My door’s opening.

 

The doorknob turned slowly. The door opened even slower.

Naruto brought with him a plate full of tomato maki. He placed it right in front of Sasuke on the floor as he sat across him. “So…”

“So?”

“So...what’s _that_ look?” Naruto smiled a little shyly.

“Your mom hates me.” Sasuke said as he sunk behind his hands. “She fucking hates me.”

“She doesn’t, Sasuke.”

“But I screamed at you.”

“That happens all the time.”

“Then I accused her of—”

“Of that look. Yeah, I was there. But she doesn’t hate you. She was actually the one who pushed me to go after you.”

Sasuke peeked from the spaces between his fingers.

“So what’s that look, Sasuke?”

“Why are you so… gentle? You’re so gentle today.”

“I could punch you right now, but I won’t, because if you haven’t noticed, Mom just planned our wedding for us. And now you’re screaming things at me that confuses the hell out of me.”

Sasuke smirked. “Being called a coward confuses the hell out of you?”

“A little. But you screaming ‘date me, Naruto,’ after looking so disgusted definitely takes the cake.”

The gay god Ino always talked about was playing some horrible, horrible trick on him. This was all a game to them, to the universe, he thought. It really was laughable how much planning went to waste because of Uzumaki Kushina. Five years of waiting and pining and complaining, and all it took was the phenomena of Uzumaki Kushina for their guts to spill.

There probably was no plan to begin with. This was all a horrible ploy by the universe to get a little kick off of Sasuke’s life every now and then.

“Well?” Naruto nudged his knee after the silence went on for too long. “Talk to me.”

“I’m gay,” he started. Then he took a deep breath, and continued. “I found out when I was thirteen. Not the gay part—well, also the gay part. But what I found out that really terrified me was realizing that I had a crush on you. I tried to stop it, but I couldn’t. Ino wouldn’t let me, anyway.”

“Ino, huh? For a while I thought you abandoned me for, Ino. When you kissed me years ago—”

“Oh my god, you _were_ awake. Fuck.”

“Yeah.” Naruto scratched the back of his neck. “I was. But anyway, I really thought that was it. Then you avoided me for a week and I only saw you with Ino. At first I thought you used me for practice for when you kiss Ino. Which—honestly, now that I think about it—that sounds really dumb.”

“It is.”

“Yeah, well, I was—heartbroken? We were only fourteen, but I guess that was what it was. What I’m saying is, I also maybe, kinda have a crush on you, too?”

“So.”

“So?”

“So, you’re gonna go out with me?” Sasuke did not want to repeat himself.

“I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

Sasuke was barely registering Naruto’s proximity until his blue eyes were the only things he could focus on. Everything else became white noise in the background.

Naruto’s lips were soft, but dry. Their kiss was chaste; one swift movement and then they stayed in place for what seemed like forever. This wasn’t exactly his most ideal scenario of their first actual kiss. He pictured a lot more tongue, and that both of them had a lot more practice. He could even hear Ino’s voice coaching him in the background.

‘Do something, Uchiha!’ she would have said. But she was not here.

It was only him and Naruto.

And—

“Naruto! We’re about to—oops, I’ll leave you two alone.” And for the first time that day, Uzumaki Kushina was simply Mrs. Uzumaki. The woman who had loved Sasuke as if he were her own.

Sasuke breathed when Naruto separated his lips from Sasuke’s. He longed for the lost heat, but let go of the other boy anyway. Then, he laughed. It wasn’t anything loud or boisterous; just a genuine laugh he couldn’t hold in. “What will I ever do about Uzumaki Kushina?”

Naruto did the same, then placed a small kiss on Sasuke’s forehead. “My mom’s a force to be reckoned with.”

“Tch. You should go,” Sasuke murmured, as smile still dancing on his lips. “Text me the details. You said you have something planned?”

He rested his forehead on Sasuke’s. “Yeah, I have plans. See you on Sunday, asshole.”

“See ya, moron.”

“Before I go, I still don’t understand _that_ look. Am I gonna be in trouble?”

“Go ask your mom. Good night, Naruto.”

“Good night, Sasuke.”

 

> ** Messenger **
> 
> **original charlie’s angel (Online)**
> 
> Fri, 04/14/2017
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:38PM_ ]  
>  I’m convinced Mrs. Uzumaki is a god.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:39PM_ ]  
>  ??  
>  we didnt even smoke that much weed ugh  
>  i barely feel anything  
>  why are you literally the weakest  
>  this is the last time we’re smoking anything   
>  are you really that high?
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:40PM_ ]  
>  Yes.  
>  High off of love.
> 
>  
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:42PM_ ]  
>  IM SC R EA M I NG   
>  CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING A BIG BOY YOU FUCKING IDIOT  
>  I ///KNEW/// NARUTO WAS INTO YOU/  
>  UGH MY M I N D
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:43PM_ ]  
>  Did you actually scream?  
>  No, don’t answer that.  
>  He never got to ask me out.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:43PM_ ]  
>  im sorry??  
>  what?   
>  what????  
>  then whats on sunday?   
>  the funeral for your broken heart???  
>  bc im not going  
>  its just going to be the two of us dressed in black while eating your moms cooking  
>  okay thats doesnt like such a bad idea
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:44PM_ ]  
>  The funeral to my heart?  
>  Are you suddenly emo now?
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:44PM_ ]  
>  i learned that from you :P
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:45PM_ ]  
>  Wearing all black and eating my mom’s cooking is the second best way to spend a Sunday.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:45PM_ ]  
>  and whats the first??
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:46PM_ ]  
>  Going on a date with Naruto because our mothers had already planned our wedding before we were even born.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:47PM_ ]  
>  um???   
>  okay???  
>  did the aliens get you??
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:50PM_ ]  
>  No.  
>  But Uzumaki Kushina had that look.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:51PM_ ]  
>  what look?
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:53PM_ ]  
>  That look
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _9:55PM_ ]  
>  okayyyy  
>  im going to bed  
>  u should probably do the same
> 
> **out of the closet, into the fire** [ _9:57PM_ ]  
>  Probably.  
>  Good night.
> 
> **original charlie’s angel** [ _10:01PM_ ]  
>  good night sasuke.   
>    
> 

_That_ look wasn’t a single look, neither was it a single emotion. It was an overarching aura of strength and determination that only Uzumaki Kushina, one of the most down-to-earth people Sasuke ever had the pleasure of knowing, was capable of. _That_ look exuded brilliance, friendship, mischief and love.

It was what gave him a good night’s rest that night. It was what gave him the sweetest dreams.

He knew Uzumaki Kushina only had love for him, and Sasuke only had love for her.

Because Uzumaki Kushina was a force to be reckoned with, and the universe will let her get away with anything.

* * *

 

"You think Sasuke could get me whatever he was on last night?" Kushina asked as she took as sip of her coffee. 

"Kushina, no," Mikoto replied. 

"I'm joking!" Kushina gave a small cough. 

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Fine. It's from Ino. The girl was kind enough to ask permission from me if they could smoke it last night. And then you kindly interrupted their...session." 

"How was I supposed to know?" Kushina pouted. 

"I texted you."

"Oh, yeah."

"You're sly, you know that?"

"I do." Kushina finished the rest of her cup then ate a slice of omelet. "You think you can get it next week?" she asked with her mouth full.

"Sure."

"My place on Wednesday?"

"I'm not going to be a part of this, Kushina—oh, don't give me that look." Mikoto inhaled as she tried to counter with a look of her own.  "Oh my god, fine!"

Kushina smiles her biggest smile. "It's great being me."

**Author's Note:**

> cont. to edit1: i dont have ANY experience with weed so my thirty-minute research on its immediate effects when taken in small quantities needs to suffice. 
> 
> i debated with myself how the 'asking out part' was going to go, but i didnt wanna do it in the most typical way and then take it straight to their date. a lot of the fics in this series (its finally a series! hooray!) is going to be an exploration of characters and relationships. some will be more in-depth than others. come say hi to me on [my twitter](http://www.twitter.com/jvcobby) <3


End file.
